Sphalerite with Quartz

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Sphalerite is one of those minerals which is so easy to take for granted, but my word, when you see a really well crystallised specimen like this one from the Alston Moor Mines, it really does stand out and make you look twice! Covering a iron-stained matrix, beautifully developed, composite, jet-black Sphalerite crystals up to 2 cm on edge, form triangular sectioned prisms. Between these are in-fillings of stubby, opaque snow-white Quartz crystals. The pure black and white contrast between the two species helps create a very displayable specimen. Alston Moor is in the Northern Pennine Orefield, in east Cumbria, England.